Animal-shackle.



N0. 724,015. PATENTED MAR- 31., 1903.

TI Eu I I ANIMAL SHAGKLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1902.

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THOMAS E. JONES, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ANlMAL-Sl- IACKLE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 724,015, dated March 31, 1903. Application filed May 26, 1902 Serial No. 109,025- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. JoNEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Animal- Shackle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved shackle adapted for use in catching hogs and other animals in the catch-pen and for holding them suspended while being carried to the butcher, the scalding-tub, and the hair-scraping machine, and for finally delivering them to the trolley on the rail that carries the animals to the chopping-block, and is an improvement on the shackle for which Letters Patent of the United States No. 683,770 were granted to me October 1, 1901.

My invention consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is partlyalongitudinalsectionalviewand partly an elevation of a shackle embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents an elevation of a T-hook, showing the connecting-chain therefor broken off.

In the construction of myimproved shackle I provide a head 1, which has a curved hook 2, that projects from one side thereof and is formed at one end witha tubular shank 3.

The said head is further formed with a pair.

of lugs 4. The space between the said lugs is formed by a slot 5, which divides the-jaw' or hook 2 and extends longitudinally of the head on one side thereof. A slot 6 is made in the head on the side opposite the lugs 4 and communicates with the inner portion of the slot 5.

The tubular shank 3 is telescopically fitted in the outer end of a guide-sleeve 7, which in practice is preferably cylindrical in form. A guide-rod 8 extends through the guide-sleeve and its inner portion extends through the tubular shank 3 and into the head 1 for a suitable distance. The said guide-rod has a slot 9 near its inner end, which slot registers with the slot 6 and with the slot 5. Near the outer end of the guide-rod the same is formed with an enlarged head 10,-which fits in and closes the inner end of the guide-sleeve 7, and is further formed with a projecting eye 11. The head 10 is detachably secured in the outer end of the guide-sleeve, and a chain--12 has one end connected to the eye 11. A coiled extensile spring 13 is placed on the guide-rod 8 and bears between the head 10 and the inner end of the tubular shank 3, the said spring being incased in the guide-sleeve and serving to normally move the head 1 outwardly from the outer end of the guide-sleeve, as will be understood. A pivoted jaw 14, disposed to operate in the slot 5, is mounted between the lugs 4 on a pivot 15 and is formed with an arm 16, which projects through the slot 9 of the guide-rod and into the slot 6 of the head. The said arm 16 and the outer end of the slot 9 form coacting cams, which close the jaw 14 against the hook 2 by the action of the spring 13. The said arm 16 and said slot 9 also serve to limit the longitudinal movement of the head 1, anditwill be understood that the jaw 14 participates in this longitudinal movement of the head. Said jaw 14 is provided with an eye 17 for the attachment of a cord,

by means of which the said jaw 14 may be I opened from the hook 2. It will be understood that the leg of an animal will be caught between the hook and the pivoted jaw and that the action of the spring 13, slotted guiderod, and lever-arm 16 of the jaw14 will tend to keep the latter in a closed'position and prevent the animals leg from being released until the jaw 14 is opened by pulling the cord.

To the end of the chain 12 opposite the shackle is attached an anchor T-hook 18. The same comprises a shank 19 and a pair of hooks 2O 21, which project in opposite directions from the outer end of the said shank.

When an animal has been caught by the shackle, the hook and chain enableit to be suspended and carried from the catch-pen to the butcher, through the scalding tub,

through the hair-scraping machine, and delivered to the trolley on the rail that carries the animal to the chopping-block. It will be understood that the weight of the animal when the same is thus'suspended causes the pivoted hook to be firmly held in engaged position and to coact with the hook 2 to prevent the animals leg from being released by the shackle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- A shackle of the class described, comprising a guide-rod having a head at one end and l a slot near the other end, a guide-sleeve in which the said rod is disposed and to one end of which the head thereof is secured, a 1ongitudinally-movable head having a hook, and a guide-shank in which the'slotted end of the guide-rod operates, said guide-shank being telescopically fitted in the outer portion of the guide-sleeve, a pivoted jaw carried by 

